Review: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
★★
Because "The Clone Wars" takes place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, the films didn't have time to explore this period in depth. Hence, Lucasfilm created their second multimedia project titled "The Clone Wars Multimedia Project." This project spawned an animated TV show, books, comics, and videos. However, Dave Filoni and George Lucas wanted to create a whole new show that focuses mainly on the characters and stories. Before that show, we got the film. George Lucas wanted to advertise the new show through a cinematic film release.
"Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)" is an animated film set between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The movie follows Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi as they lead Republic forces against the Separatists. They are joined by Anakin's new apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. The plot centers on their mission to rescue Jabba the Hutt's kidnapped son, which is crucial to securing Jabba's support in the war. The film introduces key characters and sets the stage for the subsequent "The Clone Wars" TV series, exploring themes of loyalty, bravery, and the complexities of war.
The film itself isn't great. I tend to forget that this was a film and think of it more as a long TV episode. Had it been released as a TV movie on Cartoon Network or direct-to-video, it probably would've had a better reputation. George Lucas was also not heavily involved with the film, as he was busy working on "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." The film might have been slightly better if he had been more involved. This movie has no bearing on the show's plot at all; it's just a cheap plug to advertise the show.
On the bright side, the film's only redeeming quality is the voice cast; everyone is perfect. James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan and Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker give it 110%. Familiar voices are also present: Anthony Daniels reprises his role as C-3PO (as per usual), and Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Lee also reprise their roles from the films. They could've skipped this, but it was still nice that they voiced their characters. Other than that, the film doesn't work at all. It's just one long TV episode of the show.